Whether you’re an aspiring gourmet, a novice cheese connoisseur, or someone who is just obsessed with eating cheese and throwing parties— chances are you might be overlooking one of the most versatile and tasty cheeses around. When you discover what you can do with Fontina cheese (or Fontal, but we’ll get to that later), you’ll want to add it to your weekly grocery list for entertaining, cooking, and even daily snacking.
And with that, let’s get into all things you can do with this cheese. (Spoiler alert if you want the highlight reel: Fontina and Fontal are nearly interchangeable when it comes to taste and texture, and they’re both perfect for melting, sauce making, easy entertaining, egg scrambling, and can be substituted in for most other cheeses.)
Fontina cheese enjoys a rich history in Italian culinary culture. This cheese dates back to the 12th century where it was first produced from the milk of cows who grazed in the rich pastures of the Valle d’Aosta mountains of northwestern Italy. Fontina was then aged in nearby caves for three to five months, as the caves were found to provide the ideal environment of low temperatures and humidity levels for aging.
We’ve talked about PDO status several times around here before. The Protected Designation of Origin comes from legislation handed down in 1992 to protect regional foods, and Fontina has PDO status for that area in Italy we mentioned above. So, Fontal is the domestic version of Fontina cheese (just like Parmigiano-Reggiano versus Parmesan). Our Fontal is produced from pasteurized cow’s milk, and is a bit milder than the original Fontina. The result is a unique taste that is modern, sweet yet still buttery, and perfect for being enhanced with spices, sauces, and rubs. Everything you can do with Fontina cheese applies to Fontal, so since Fontal is what you’ll see most often in the United States, from here on out that’s what we’ll use in this article.
At Cello we use that mild taste to our advantage by rubbing our Fontal with different seasonings—eight to be exact. The result is a cheese that enhances everything, from a cheese board to your favorite homemade pizza. Using one of the rubbed Fontal cheeses in a simple recipe can take an ordinary dish to the next level. This way, you can fool your friends into thinking you’ve spent hours in the kitchen instead of slicing up a wedge and adding it to an easy recipe. We call that a win.
Its versatility makes this cheese an ideal choice for most dishes, so have fun discovering new ways you can work it into your everyday repertoire.
FontinaOld-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes. … Cacio e Pepe Pie. … Cheesy Corn Spoon Bread. … Asparagus and Fontina Quiche. … Breakfast Calzones. … Truffled Toast with Radicchio and Egg. … Roasted Garlic Pull-Apart Cheese Bread. … Bitter Greens Salad With Melted Cheese.
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Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes. …
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Cacio e Pepe Pie. …
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Cheesy Corn Spoon Bread. …
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Asparagus and Fontina Quiche. …
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Breakfast Calzones. …
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Truffled Toast with Radicchio and Egg. …
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Roasted Garlic Pull-Apart Cheese Bread. …
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Bitter Greens Salad With Melted Cheese.
Melt it
Any member of the Fontal cheese family is well-suited for melting. A basic grilled cheese is next-level good when you substitute your usual cheese choice with a spice rubbed Fontal. If you prefer something truly different and want to be transported to an Italian pub, add our Tuscan Fontal to this grilled cheese recipe.
If you love a gooey layer of cheese atop stuffed shells, baked ravioli, or as the final layer of lasagna, try Fontal as the finishing touch on your final pasta layer. Plus, we already mentioned it’s an ideal cheese to use for your next pizza party!
Make a sauce
If pasta is one of your mealtime staples, you’ll enjoy exploring different sauce recipes featuring Fontal. As a smooth melting cheese, the addition of Fontal to a tomato-based sauce can lend to a surprisingly smooth and buttery finish that balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
One of the best reasons to use Fontal in a cream based sauce is that it melts seamlessly and eliminates the need for a roux, which requires a precise temperature and amount of whisking to perfect. Using this cheese in your next alfredo dish will help the sauce instantly cling to the texture of all pasta. When you choose a tube-shaped pasta like a penne or a macaroni, the hollow vessel becomes a tasty trap for that smooth, creamy sauce.
Our smoky pepper Fontal is sure to add some zing to your next macaroni and cheese dish. Substitute some of the Parmesan in this hearty recipe with the rubbed Fontal to impress a crowd—one batch serves up to eight people!
Tasting Expert Reveals the Best Fontina Cheese
FAQ
What is Fontina cheese best for?
What goes good with Fontina cheese?
Does Fontina cheese melt well?
What does Fontina cheese taste similar to?
How do you use Fontina cheese?
Fontina is a great melting cheese that is often used to make cheese fondue or baked cheese dips. Cut the fontina cheese into cubes and place them in a cast iron skillet. Drizzle olive oil over the cheese. Mix the fresh herbs together and sprinkle them on top of the olive oil and cheese.
What is Fontina cheese?
We love fontina cheese. It’s a delicate, nutty, and melty cheese. This combination of mild, creamy flavor and ideal meltability makes fontina the perfect cheese choice for so many recipes. Here are some of our favorites. 1. Italian “Stuffed” Toast (Toast Farcito) Here’s some tasty, toasted pub grub, Italian style.
What to eat with Fontina cheese?
Adding scalloped potatoes topped with fontina cheese to your repertoire of cozy dishes is a terrific idea. The recipe is simple and great as a side dish or main dish. This yields delicious results when served with ham or any other type of meat, and the leftovers taste even better the next day. 8. Italian Onion Soup With Fontina & Thyme
What is baked Fontina?
Baked fontina is very similar to most fondue recipes. However, many fondue recipes ask you to grate the cheese and they often call for cornstarch, which this recipe does not. This recipe uses a few simple ingredients including fresh herbs, cheese, and olive oil and is extremely fast and easy to prepare.